Dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush

ABSTRACT

A dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, wherein a body is provided with a pair of spaced arms made to support a strand of dental floss or tape, with the strand having a teethcleaning section stretched between the tips of the arms, the body being provided with a socket extending rearwardly thereinto from a forward end of the body, the socket being dimensioned to have the outer end of a toothbrush handle slidably telescoped thereinto to support the holder on the handle. The body defines upper and lower planes, with the arms projecting endwise beyond the handle in prolongation with the handle when the body is supported on the handle.

United States Patent Clark, Jr.

[111 3,850,182 [451 Nov. 26, 1974 DENTAL FLOSS OR TAPE HOLDER FOR USE ON A TOOTHBRUSH [21] Appl. No.: 433,346

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 310,811, Nov, 30,

1972, abandoned.

8/1950 Streiller ..'132/9l 2/1956 Russo 132/91 Primary Examiner--G. E. McNeill Attorney, Agent, or Firm.loseph F. Cole [57] ABSTRACT A dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, wherein a body is provided with a pair of spaced arms made to support a strand of dental floss or tape, with the strand having a teeth-cleaning section stretched between the tips of the arms, the body being provided with a socket extending rearwardlythereinto from a forward end of the body, the socket being dimensioned to have the outer end of a toothbrush handle slidably telescoped thereinto to support the holder on the handle. The body defines upper and lower planes, with the arms projecting endwise beyond the handle in prolongation with the handle when the body is supported on the handle.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures [52] US. Cl 132/92 R [51] Int. Cl. A616 15/00 [58] Field of Search 132/92 R, 84 A, 91, 92 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 736,650 8/1903 Storms, Jr 132/84 A 1,506,417 8/1924 Donals 132/91 2,113,439 4/1938 Bean 132/92 R 2,172,591 9/1939 Paterson 132/92 A 2,233,936 3/1941 Campbell i. 132/92 A A IO L 1 I! u-- DENTAL FLOSS OR TAPE HOLDER FOR USE ON A TOOTHBRUSH RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 310,811, filed on Nov. 30, 1972, now abandoned.

SUMMARY It is proposed in the present invention to provide a dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, wherein a body is provided with a pair of spaced arms made to support a strand of dental floss or tape to be used in cleaning a persons teeth, the body being provided with a socket dimensioned to have the outer end of a toothbrush, handle slidably telescoped thereinto to support the holder on the handle. The body defines upper and lower planes, with the arms projecting endwise beyond the handle in prolongation with the handle when the body is supported on the handle.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of my dental floss or tape holder removably secured to the outer end of a toothbrush handle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a modified embodiment of the dental floss or tape holder supported on the outer end of a toothbrush holder;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the modified embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view' taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3 on an enlarged scale.

While only two embodiments of the invention has been shown, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be noted that a conventional toothbrush indicated generally atA has a handle provided at its inner end 11 with bristles 12 for brushing teeth. A flat dental floss or tape holder indicated generally at B is removably supported on the outer end 13 of the handle 10 and it has a pair of spaced arms 14 with tips 15, the arms being made to hold a strand of dental floss or tape C, with the strand having a section 116 stretched between the tips for cleaning between the teeth. Any suitable means may be provided for anchoring the ends 17 in place to maintain the teeth-cleaning section taut.

For the purpose of anchoring the ends 17 of the strand in place, a pair of binding knobs 18 have been disclosed, these binding knobs being secured to the upper and lower planes l9 and 20, respectively, of the holder B in the manner hereinafter described and around which the ends 17 of the strand C may be wound. These binding knobs are arranged forward of the arms 14 in a direction toward the bristles 12. A

LII

. groove 21 is fashioned in the outer surface and tip of each arm to receive and support the strand C.

It will be observed that the holder B for the dental floss or tape C has a body with a socket 23 extending rearwardly thereinto from the front or forward end 24 of the body along a medial plane of the body, the socket being dimensioned to have the outer end 13 of the handle 10 slidably telescoped endwise thereinto to support the holder on the handle. As shown in the drawings, the upper and lower planes l9 and 20, respectively, of the body are substantially parallel relative to one another, and the socket 23 and spaced arms 1 4 are confined between these planes, with the armsprojecting endwise beyond the handle in prolongationwith the handle when the body is supported on the handle. The bottom wall 23 of the socket 23is disposed to limit the endwise telescoping of the holder B over the outer end 13 of the handle 10 and this feature becomes important when the section 16 of the trand C is being pressed between adjacent teeth.

Moreover, a screw or the like 25 may be inserted through the body of the holder B so as to extend across the socket 23, this screw passing through a hole 26 formed in the outer end of the handle 10. This screw holds the binding knobs 18 in place on the holder B.

The forward end portion 24 of the dental floss or tape holder B extends entirely around the socket 23 was to encase the outer end 13 of the handle 10 and providing a protective covering thereover, when the holder is supported on the handle.

Referring now to FIGS. 3,4 and 5, which forms the continuation part of this application, it will be noted that the modified embodiment shown therein is quite similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Accordingly, like reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts of the two embodiments of the invention.

However, in the modified embodiment, the binding knobs 18 are formed integral with the holder B and the screw 25 is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, upper and lower sets of runners 27 are provided in the socket 23 and over which the outer end 13 of the handle 10 is slidable when the handle is inserted into the socket, these runners frictionally engaging with the handle to resist accidental withdrawal of the handle from the socket. Moreover, upper and lower pairs of triangularshaped ridges 28 are provided in the socket 23, these ridges of each pair converging rearwardly relative to one another so that a narrow outer tip of a handle may be frictionally inserted therebetween to retain the holder B on the handle. These ridges have less height than the runners 27, as shown in FIG. 5, so that a narrow and thicker outer tip of a handle may be inserted between the upper and lower sets of ridges, as compared with the handle illustrated.

I claim:

1. In a dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush:

a. a flat body having a pair of spaced arms, each arm having a tip, the arms being made to support a strand of dental floss or tape, with the strand hav ing a teeth-cleaning section stretched between the tips;

b. means on the body operable for anchoring the ends of the strand in place to maintain the teethcleaning section taut;

c. the body being provided with a socket extending rearwardly thereinto from a forward end of the body along a medial plane of the body, the socket being dimensioned to have the outer end of a conventional toothbrush handle slidably telescoped endwise thereinto to support the holder on the handle, the forward end portion of the body extending entirely around the socket so as to encase the outer end of the handle and providing a protective covering thereover, when the holder is supported on the handle;

d. the body defining substantially parallel upper and lower planes, and the socket and spaced'arms being confined between these planes, with arms projecting endwise beyond the handle in prolongation with the handle, when the body is supported on the handle;

e. the socket having a bottom wall disposed to limit endwise telescoping of the holder over the outer end of the handle.

2. The dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, as set forth in claim 1;

brush, as set forth in claim 2;

g. and in which upper and lower pairs of triangularshaped ridges are provided in the socket, these ridges of each pair converging rearwardly relative to one another so that a narrow outer tip of a handle may be frictionally inserted therebetween to retain the holder on the handle.

4. The dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, as set forth in claim 3;

h. and in which these ridges have less height than the runners so that a narrow and thicker outer tip of a handle may be inserted between the upper and lower pairs of ridges. 

1. In a dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush: a. a flat body having a pair of spaced arms, each arm having a tip, the arms being made to support a strand of dental floss or tape, with the strand having a teeth-cleaning section stretched between the tips; b. means on the body operable for anchoring the ends of the strand in place to maintain the teeth-cleaning section taut; c. the body being provided with a socket extending rearwardly thereinto from a forward end of the body along a medial plane of the body, the socket being dimensioned to have the outer end of a conventional toothbrush handle slidably telescoped endwise thereinto to support the holder on the handle, the forward end portion of the body extending entirely around the socket so as to encase the outer end of the handle and providing a protective covering thereover, when the holder is supported on the handle; d. the body defining substantially parallel upper and lower planes, and the socket and spaced arms being confined between these planes, with arms projecting endwise beyond the handle in prolongation with the handle, when the body is supported on the handle; e. the socket having a bottom wall disposed to limit endwise telescoping of the holder over the outer end of the handle.
 2. The dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, as set forth in claim 1; f. and in which upper and lower sets of runners are provided in the socket and over which the outer end of the handle is slidable so as to frictionally engage with the outer end of the inserted handle and resist accidental withdrawal of the handle from the socket.
 3. The dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, as set forth in claim 2; g. and in which upper and lower pairs of triangular-shaped ridges are provided in the socket, these ridges of each pair converging rearwardly relative to one another so that a narrow outer tip of a handle may be frictionally inserted therebetween to retain the holder on the handle.
 4. The dental floss or tape holder for use on a toothbrush, as set forth in claim 3; h. and in which these ridges have less height than the runners so that a narrow and thicker outer tip of a handle may be inserted between the upper and lower pairs of ridges. 